Rule Changes From USA Cycling

The USCF Board of Trustees met Nov. 6 to discuss and vote on proposed rule changes for the 2011 road, track and cyclo-cross season.

While numerous items were introduced by the Trustee representatives, the most significant legislation passed was the addition of a singlespeed national championship category for cyclo-cross and a rewrite of the rules concerning clubs and teams that shift the focus from sponsored to active clubs.

A singlespeed national championship category will be added to this year’s Cyclo-Cross National Championships with no category restrictions for 2010. The 2011 USA Cycling Rulebook will recognize that clubs may have more than one race team and will allow a rider to be a member of different teams for different disciplines. The most controversial proposals, including a ban on helmet cameras and junior equipment restrictions, either failed or were withdrawn prior to vote.

Below is a summary of amended rules that were passed and will be included in the 2011 USA Cycling Rulebook:

The singlespeed category will not have the 33 mm tire width rule, but riders will need to have tires no bigger than 35 mm.

The singlespeed category will be required to have a freewheel, one cog and drop bars (no straight bars, no mountain bikes).

Registered clubs/teams:

Must promote a race to be an active club.

Clubs can have multiple teams.

Teams may be discipline specific. Riders may race for another team in a specific discipline, i.e. cyclo-cross, even if that team is organized by a club other than his/her licensed club.

Women in men’s races:

Category 1/2 master women now, along with 3/4 master women, can race with older master men as follows:

Cat 1/2 master women can ride with master men up to 10 years older. Ie., a 35 year-old Cat 1 woman could ride with the master men’s group that is open to 45 year-old master men, such as 45+, but could not ride in the master men 50+ class.

Cat 3/4 master women can ride with master men up to 20 years older. Ie., a 35 year-old Cat 3 woman could ride with the master men’s group that is open to 55 year-old master men, such as 55+, but could not ride in a 60+ men’s age group.

USA Cycling categories in UCI races: A new rule now stipulates default ability categories for riding in UCI races. Ie., To race a UCI road race a male rider must be category 1, a female rider has to be category 1 or 2. See rule 1J15.

Women’s Category 4 maximum field limit has been increased to 75.

Chip timing has been added to the list of items that may be provided for rider identification.

Entry/Identity Fraud: Any licensee entering a race under an assumed name or conspiring to allow another rider to enter a race under an assumed name will incur a one year suspension.

Cyclo-cross field limits: Similar to road races, a default field limit of 100 was established if no other field limit has been set by the organizer or the local administrator.

*Lapped Riders in Cyclocross: Several ways to handle lapped riders in cyclo-cross are outlined. Riders may be allowed to finish, pulled at the line or pulled using the 80/20 rule.

*Cyclo-cross feeding: Feeding in Cyclo-cross races has been established. The default rules include: no feeding in the first two and final two laps of the race and only in the pit lane. Temperature of at least 68 degrees is recommended.

Sleeveless Jerseys: Riders may now wear sleeveless jerseys in time trial events.

Sprint Seeding: Standard tables will be developed describing how sprint seeding and the sprint formats will occur at National Championships. In masters championships age groups will not be combined in sprint tournaments.

Junior Omnium: The International Omnium has been added to junior track nationals.

Masters Scratch Race: A scratch race has been added to masters track nationals.

Master Women’s Team Pursuit: A 45+ event has been added to team pursuit at masters track nationals.